Lifestyle

This post is part informative/part gripe session!! The one thing that aggravates me more than anything is people who criticize a healthy diet!! Someone PLEASE tell me since when is eating a diet of natural, organic, unprocessed foods (whether vegan, veg, omnivore or carnivore) considered weird and odd yet eating highly processed, chemically laden boxed & canned foods that don’t even exist in nature normal? I take a LOT of criticism for the way I eat – even those that consider themselves to be “healthy” feel that for them it would be extreme. However – what exactly is extreme? Is it My fondness for green juices or the fact that I refuse to eat “fake foods” aka things that don’t exist in nature or their natural state i.e. bread, pastas, cereals etc (the natural form would be wheat berries, wheat grass and grains). Sadly I find it’s more the latter – I’m not normal because I eat natural foods?? You know what I find ODD – those people that eat processed foods and think they’re eating healthy or the ones that count calories or even worse the ones that refuse to eat a potato fearing it’s a carb and therefore is an evil that will make them gain weight!!! And dont even get me started on the bagel eaters, fast food goers or those that think a healthy lunch is a salad consisting of fatty creamy dressing over a few pieces of iceberg lettuce loaded with deli meats, mayo smothered tuna or canned veggies. Anyone who knows me well knows my utter obsession with potatoes (dare I say the white ones!) I love starches and eat them frequently – all varieties of potatoes, winter squashes, beets, carrots and even some grains – brown rice, buckwheat, millet AND none of these make me gain weight or feel sluggish! I see NOTHING extreme about what I consume. I feel light, vibrant, full of energy and personally have been told I have a “glow” about me – how many “mainstream” eaters can confess to that? I follow an organic unprocessed diet – sometimes raw vegan, sometimes not; I enjoy every food that I eat; I don’t shun fat, carbs or sweets, nor do I count calories (p.s. I find all of that completely and totally unnecessary if you’re eating the right foods in the right combinations)

The one question I hear more and more frequently is how healthy do I need to be to reap rewards? Its typically assumed that to lead a healthy, “cleansing” lifestyle one must go to extremes, to deprive themselves of delicious, comforting food and to subsist on tasteless boring fare. This is far from the truth! Everyone has different goals in mind, some want to lose weight, increase energy, prevent disease while others are on a path, they’re the ones fighting disease, the ones who have committed to a life long habit of only choosing nourishment that will allow them achieve a vibrant life – through clear thinking and a healthy body from the inside out.

The first group of people usually don’t have to go too far in order to reach their goals – a few tweaks here and there, however, its the latter group that tend to go gung ho initially and find themselves feeling soo extraordinary that they commit to live this way indefinitely. I fall into the second group – yup the ol gung hoer’s BUT let me let you in on a secret, even if I didn’t “have” to live this way, I still would simply because it makes me feel fabulous! I know what you are probably thinking – what exactly is this mystical “way of life, way of eating” that will give me vibrant energy, effortless weight loss, clear thinking, beautiful skin. Its a few simple steps and it really is all up to YOU – how VIBRANT do you want to be? I’ll give you my personal example (remember, I’m considered somewhat of an extremist by some!) – what don’t I eat – in a nutshell – processed foods and being I have a natural tendency towards vegetarian diet, I avoid meats & dairy – but that doesn’t mean I totally shun fish, seafood and some delicious raw cheeses from time to time(easier to digest over pasteurized) and What I do eat – LOTS of veggies (remember there are THOUSANDS of different vegetables in the world vs only a handful of varieties of meat) tons of greens, nuts, seeds, occasional fish/seafood, grains, superfoods – basically if its natural (i.e. found in nature) I’m eating it. Not extremely extreme is it? I certainly don’t think so, especially when I eat the foods I love and am reaping a multitude of rewards. As you read this you may be thinking “nope, I can’t do that” WELL, you don’t necessarily have to – remember I AM the “extreme” example. Being I feel each individual is just that – individual, everyone had different needs; even two people with the same goal will reach it on a different path. Vibrancy is right around the corner for you; Its not difficult to achieve – its knowing what to cut out and what to bring in – can it be any more simple? Subtract the things that will weigh you down, add the things that will give you that pure vibrancy we all seek and covet. My first, most important, “holy grail” of all suggestions is to stop eating processed foods – so if it comes in a box, bag, can or form unrecognizable in nature cut back or even better yet cut it out completely. This step alone will work wonders